Miss California Teen USA 2012 crowned

Washington, Jan 9 (THAINDIAN NEWS) For the first time in the 60-year history of the Miss California and Miss California Teen USA contests, two openly gay couples participated. They might have not been awarded the crown but they walked away with a part of the contest.

26-year-old Janelle Hutcherson from Long Beach became the first openly gay contested of the Miss California contest with 19-year-old Mollie Thomas going down in the record books as the first openly gay contestant of the Miss California Teen USA contest.

At the end of the contest, the organizers and judges named 22-year-old Natalie Pack as the winner of the contest. The contest ended last Sunday and Natalie is moving on to the Miss USA 2012 contest.

Before the contest, Thomas said that, “I’m running for equality and will use this in order to promote visibility on current issues, to become a youth advocate and a role model.”

She revealed that she only agreed to join the contest when she was given the assurance that she will be allowed to represent the gay community. She is a part-time UCLA student.

Brie Gabrielle who represented Malibu in the contest was named as the runner up of the contest.